Sparks Will Fly
by Chaotic Reflections
Summary: The chemistry between them is undeniable, tangible. Exploration ensues and the results are explosive, heady and addictive. However, are they willing to continue this sensual tango and deal with all the emotions and confusion that follows it?
1. Chapter 1

"Sparks Will Fly"

One

A heavy chill stubbornly lingered in the air, and the winter breeze blew incessantly. Shivers trickled down Sally's spine like split water; she hugged herself tightly to protect what little warmth she still had left. It was as if the cold was somehow taunting her, maliciously reminding her that she was freezing and lacked a jacket, which she had unintentionally left behind in her hurry to get ready, to shield her from the cold.

Snowflakes were falling from the sky like angels descending from Heaven, and snow, white and pristine, covered every inch of the ground like a thick, comfy blanket. The trees, barren of their usual bright, green leaves, looked strangely empty without their typical attire, resembling skeletons, and glittering icicles dangled from their branches like jewelry hanging off of a woman's wrists.

Her teeth clacked against each other loudly, chattering in a language foreign to her ears. Her body trembled almost violently, and the coldness seemed to seep through her skin and into her very soul in an attempt to freeze her from the inside out with just a single touch from its icy fingertips. The wind blew harder, blindsiding her with another wave of cold that nearly brought her to her knees in attempt to get her to succumb to its will.

"Here." Startled, Sally peered at her companion, absently smoothing down her long, auburn tresses; he hadn't uttered a single word nor did he bother sparing a glance her way since they first began their walk. That didn't really bother her since Shadow tended to keep to himself anyway, though he wasn't nearly as closed off as he previously was.

His steps slowed to a stop, as did hers, and, with an outstretched hand, he held out his leather jacket to her; its inky color was a sharp contrast against all the ivory snow that surrounded them. Somehow he managed to effortlessly hold the armful of presents he was carrying without staggering under their weight or disturbing their equilibrium.

"Won't you be cold?" She stared at the jacket with a longing that swam in the depths of her stunning sapphire eyes, wanting nothing more than to snatch it from his gloved hand and lose herself in its warmth. However, her conscience reminded her, prodding her sharply, that she also didn't want him to suffer from the cruel chill of the winter wind. After all, her forgetfulness was nobody's fault but her own.

Thankfully, she made sure she was dressed for the occasion, donning on a beautiful gold colored sweater, white skinny jeans, and black leather boots that went up to the middle of her knees. A red scarf was wrapped securely around her neck and black, woolen gloves that were soft to the touch graced her hands. And yet, despite her valiant efforts, she was still cold.

Shadow chuckled quietly, crimson eyes finally looking at her. He had one of those nice, content smiles on his face, something he seemed to be doing more of nowadays, and she found herself smiling back at him, grateful for such a wonderful friend like him. He was always willing to hear her out, and he gave her solid advice whenever she had a problem; his presence was comforting, soothing away her anxieties like snow melting away in the heat of the sun.

Likewise, Shadow held Sally in high regards and considered her a very good friend. Despite her being a princess and used to the finer things in life, she was a wonderful, kindhearted person. However, what he really liked about her was that she was no pushover and didn't take anyone's shit, including his, and wasn't afraid to put anyone in their place, him included, something most people were too afraid to do. She didn't condemn him or hold his past actions against him, and she saw him as a person, not a weapon or some kind of lab experiment gone wrong, something that he deeply appreciated.

Wearing a simple gray sweater, dark blue pants, and his usual hover shoes and matching gloves, his Inhibitor rings glinting in the sun's light, he appeared to be completely unbothered by the weather. How he managed such a feat was beyond her understanding, and she wished he'd let her in on his secret.

"Your kindness truly knows no boundaries, but I'll survive. It's you who'll be cold if you don't wear it, so take it before I change my mind." Rather than give him the chance to do just that, she simply did as he said, taking the offered jacket and carefully putting it on, slowly zipping it all the way up to her chin. Her body began warming up almost immediately, her shivers ceased, and the noise from her chattering teeth died out. Her nose was suddenly assaulted with his scent, and she reflexively inhaled deeply, letting his heavenly aroma flood her senses and cloud her mind.

"Better?" he asked, his voice laced with amusement. The sound of his voice tugged her out of her musings, capturing her attention once more. With a nod of her head, she continued submerging herself deeper into his jacket's wondrous warmth and his sweet scent.

"You bet! I really appreciate you letting me wear your jacket." And she really did. She was so much warmer now, and she was now confident that she wasn't going to die a frozen death. Alright, so maybe she was exaggerating and it wasn't _that_ cold, certainly not cold enough to kill anyone, but that was beside the point. Stepping closer to him, she took half of the presents from him, effectively easing his load. It would be too unfair of her to wear his jacket AND make him carry everything.

Glancing her way briefly, he nodded his head in thanks before looking away. They continued their walk once more, the sound of their footsteps as they trudged through the snow echoing through the air. The sky was a lovely pale blue color, and while the sun was out and about, it did little to chase the winter chill away.

They walked by several houses, and each one was covered in decorations. Sally marveled at their beauty, and a nostalgic feeling crashed over her in waves as she watched little children and their parents build snowmen and have snowball fights. She could recall wonderful memories of her and her older brother Elias going outside and playing the day away, hurling snowball after snowball at each other. They would make snow forts and battle it out as if it were really a war, and to the victor went the spoils.

She could easily remember, a faint smile now gracing her face, how they'd make snow angels and then their parents would tell them to come back inside the castle to sit in front of the fire, where they would drink cup after cup of delicious hot chocolate with marshmallows floating around in it as they listened to their grandfather spin them tales about his life and the adventures he had when he was young.

That's why she absolutely adored the holidays; it was like everyone was in higher spirits and more cheerful, something she wished happened year round instead of just being limited to one season.

"What are you thinking about, princess?" Shadow asked, watching her in mild curiosity. He took in the thoughtful expression on her face, the fond look in her eyes and the wistful smile playing with her lips. Sally twirled around, her hair dancing in the breeze and resembling trails of flames in the sunlight; a cheerful laugh tumbled pass her lips and out into the open, filling the air with its melodious tune.

"Christmas! Or, well, some childhood memories that are centered on Christmas, to be more specific. I mean, I really love Christmas! It's such a wonderfully amazing holiday!" Sally gushed. Excitement filled her voice to the very brim, and she was nearly bouncing on her feet with joy. Shadow laughed quietly at her, softly shaking his head as he watched her. She exuded an air of sincere delight, and her jovial mood was endearing.

Their eyes met again, crimson and sapphire clashing and meeting together in perfect harmony, and they both simultaneously smiled at each other, though Sally's smile was wider and far more noticeable than that of her companion's, before quickly diverting their gazes to the path ahead of them. They were walking closer together now, so close that they were practically brushing against each other with every step they took.

His free hand was so close to hers that their fingers were touching. He felt the inexplicable urge to hold her hand for some unknown reason and found himself acting on the impulse before he could ponder its origin. Sally remained silent, though he saw how she tensed briefly before relaxing as she held his hand in hers, her grasp soft and firm all at once.

It was nice holding hands with her, he mused to himself, and her touch left him feeling warm inside. Such a strange feeling, but not an entirely unwelcomed one, he decided. Turning down another sidewalk, they continued their walk to Amy's house. Every year, the bubbly pink hedgehog would throw a grand Christmas party, and all of their friends were going to be there. It was going to be so much fun!

"Shadow, what all do you love about Christmas?" The snowflakes continued falling, swirling around them before landing lightly on the ground below, and the wind whistled as it blew, filling the air with a tragic, but strangely beautiful tune.

"Well, I love being able to eat a really good home cooked meal. I also love how the houses are so beautifully decorated. It reminds me of the time I still lived on the ARK with Maria when she was alive." A tender look filled his eyes as he spoke, his tone one of joy with the barest traces of sorrow underlining it. "She would always make the decorations herself and put them all over the ARK and sing Christmas carols and write letters to Santa. It was her favorite holiday and is my favorite as well."

Her smile softened, and she was truly touched that he shared such things with her. She was all too aware of how much Maria meant to him, as she was like an older sister to him, and how he considered her and her grandfather his family. She was proud that he was now at the point where he could speak about them without looking and sounding so pained and empty.

"I wish I could've met her. She sounds like she was an amazing person." And she did. She obviously had a positive impact on Shadow, choosing to treat him like a person with feelings rather than an abomination.

"She was, and I'm sure she would've liked you. She would've liked all of you, to be honest. What do you love about Christmas?"

"I love how the snow covers everything like some sort of blanket, I love listening to Christmas songs blaring through my radio and filling my ears with their infectious tune, and I love getting and giving presents. But," she continued, her gaze resting on him before she looked away, "what I really love about Christmas is that I get to spend time with my amazing friends."

Shadow said nothing, but he gave her hand a gentle squeeze, strangely touched that she considered him such welcomed company and a dear friend. Contrary to what many people seemed to believe, he truly did care about her and the rest of their friends. Having a family to call his own again, and yes, despite how he may sometimes behave or what he may say, he _did_ consider them to be his family, made him happy. Oh, he still had his ways and wasn't as friendly as say, Cream or Sonic, but he did care and tried to show it to the best of his abilities.

Amy's house soon came into view, and they quickened their pace. Carefully, they dashed up the steps and stood on the front porch. Letting go of Shadow's hand, Sally rang the doorbell, and she and Shadow patiently waited for someone to answer.

The door soon swung open, and Cream stood in the doorway with Cheese hovering near her head. Now a beautiful teenager, she was decked out in a red, wooly coat, a Santa hat, a red and green striped sweater, green pants, and dark brown snow boots. Her hair was in a cute ponytail that stopped right at her shoulders, her bangs straightened and pinned back. Her rich brown eyes lit up at the sight of them, and Sally grunted, her breath momentarily knocked out of her lungs, as she was suddenly bombarded with a hug.

"Sally, Shadow! I'm so glad you two came!" Cream exclaimed excitedly, her arms wrapped around Sally's waist in a sweet hug. Sally smiled as she returned the cheerful rabbit's hug as best as she could, mindful of the gifts she was carrying still, pressing a chaste kiss on her forehead. Her heart practically melted as she watched her hug Shadow, who smiled warmly at Cream as he hugged her back. He could be such a sweetheart when the mood struck him.

"We're glad to be here, Cream. You know we'd be hard-pressed to miss such a joyful affair. And we made sure to bring the presents!" Every year, the gang picked two names from a Santa hat to determine which two friends would buy the Christmas presents for everyone, and this year it was Shadow and Sally's turn. They bought everyone's gifts together, and got a gift for each other separately to keep it a surprise.

"That's wonderful! You can put them under the Christmas tree." Opening the door wider, Cream, with Cheese flying closely behind her, led them inside. A pleased sigh tumbled through Sally's lips as her nose was assaulted with the heady aroma of food; her mouth instantly watered at the smell alone, and she was looking forward to dinner time.

Kicking the door shut behind him, Shadow stood by her side, grateful for the warmth that enveloped him. While he wasn't nearly as cold as Sally had been, he was slightly chilly, and the heat felt wonderful. He could hear the fire crackling as it burned, its flames a beautiful mixture of blazing orange, lovely red, and radiant yellow colors.

Standing proudly in the center of the room was the Christmas tree, and what a gorgeous tree it was, leaving both of them staring at it in awe. Stylish ornaments, ranging in color from dazzling golds to brilliant blues, and red and white striped candy canes hung from every branch of the tree.

Gold and silver colored garland was draped around it as if it were wearing some sort of elegant shawl, and a medium-sized golden star was perched neatly at its top, twinkling luminously as if it were a real star, providing the finishing touch.

"Wow, the tree looks out of this world, Cream." Shadow agreed with that statement wholeheartedly. He and Sally made their way to it and set the gifts underneath it. They were going to be opened right after dessert. Cream shrugged out of her coat and hung it on the bronze coatrack. She flushed under Sally's praise, her shoulders slumping in obvious relief as she admired the tree.

"Thank you, Sally! Momma, Amy, Rouge, Blaze, and I all decorated it together." As if she knew they were talking about her, the treasure huntress herself suddenly appeared from the kitchen, staring into her compact mirror as she reapplied her pink lip gloss. Cream could only shake her head at her, smiling as she went to the kitchen to see if the others needed any help, Cheese trailing behind her.

She wore a plum sweater dress that stopped a few inches above her knees, black tights, and white high heeled boots. Her ivory locks were pulled back into a stylish bun, and instead of her usual turquoise eye shadow, a silvery colored eye shadow stained her eyelids. Wearing long white gloves without the heart accessories, silver bangles graced both of her wrists. Her teal eyes lit up once she caught sight of them, and she strutted towards, her lips curled into a lazy smile.

"What a pair you two make," Rouge commented, giving them both quick, but warm embraces.

"Hello to you too, Rouge. And yeah, I do make both of us look pretty damn good, if I do say so myself," Sally joked, smiling cockily. Shadow merely scoffed in reply, and Rouge couldn't help but giggle.

"I never saw you as the arrogant type, princess," said Shadow, nudging her playfully. Sally shrugged her shoulders, her grin widening as she looked at him.

"Hey, I'm only saying it because it's true. _I_ look amazing." Shadow appraised her, noting how her attire highlighted her figure and how her eyes, reminding him of sapphire gems, shone in the firelight. Her hair, long and thick, was styled into neat curls that stopped right at the middle of her back, and he wondered if it felt as soft as it looked.

"I see no reason to deny the obvious." Their eyes met, and he gave her another teasing smirk that left her flustered, something that he took notice of immediately as his smirk widened. Thankfully, Rouge, who was quite perceptive, especially when it came to things like this, didn't take notice of this.Sally stuck her tongue out at him, carelessly shrugging out of his jacket and hanging it on the coatrack beside Cream's coat. It felt too warm all of a sudden.

"At least you're aware of such an obvious truth." She focused her attention back on Rouge and gave her a warm smile. "It's so good to see you again, Rouge! It feels like it's been forever since I last saw you. You look gorgeous, but I'm pretty sure you already knew that." And she pulled the young woman into another tight hug.

"I did, but it doesn't hurt hearing it said out loud. It's good to see you too, hun. I've been doing pretty great lately. G.U.N.'s been keeping me busy, which is why I'm glad I have two weeks off for the holidays." Her teal gaze shifted to Shadow, who nodded his head at her in agreement.

"I agree. The solo missions they gave me certainly proved to be quite the challenge, and I'll admit that being able to take a breather is something I have no doubt I'll enjoy. Did Omega decide to show up, or is he still going to stay at HG?"

"He's still going to stay at HG, but he sends his warmest regards. Well, as warm as someone like Omega can make them. I must admit, I'm honestly surprised that _you're_ here _._ You're not really one for stuff like this."

"Hey! I resent that!" Rouge rolled her eyes, meeting his glare head one, unable to keep the amused grin off of her face.

"I don't know why. Take last year's party for example. You stayed for maybe fifteen minutes, and then you used Chaos Control to leave with your mouth stuffed with cake and several handfuls of sweets in your possession." Sally snorted, wishing she could've seen him with his cheeks puffed out and his lips stained with frosting and crumbs. It would've been funny as hell. Shadow, flushed with embarrassment, glared at his so-called "best friend", who merely shrugged her shoulders in response, laughter dancing in her eyes.

"Oh my goodness, please tell me you took pictures of that."

"You know I did." Hearing this, Shadow lunged at her, but with a flap of her wings, Rouge was flying above and beyond his reach. She stared down at him, a smug, shit-eating grin gracing her face, her phone held in her hand away from his clutches. Shadow growled lowly, glaring daggers at her.

"You better delete those Goddamn pictures or so help me I'll-" he began, but she cut him off with an amused laugh.

"You won't do a damn thing, and you know it. I haven't let anyone see said pictures, and if you want to keep it that way, you'll do well not to tick me off." He picked up on the underlined threat, and, grumbling some not so nice things about his "best friend" under his breath, he held his hands up in surrender. Only then did she come back down, tucking her phone back in her pocket.

"Oh my goodness, you two are freaking hilarious!" Sally was gasping for breath; she was laughing so hard that tears were streaming down her face. Hunched over, hands resting on her knees, she willed herself to calm down.

"Well, I'm glad my suffering has brought you so much amusement. I'm glad I could be of entertainment to you," was Shadow's dry and heavily sarcastic remark, which only made Sally laugh even harder, and Rouge couldn't help but laugh too.

"When you're best friends with someone like Shadow, you've got to have a way to keep him in check just in case he steps out of line and makes threats and act completely reckless," Rouge teased.

"Whatever, bat. As for my appearance here, it's not like I had better things to do with my free time. Besides, if I didn't show up the princess would never let me hear the end of it." Picking up on his teasing tone, said princess swiftly elbowed him sharply in his side. She stared him down, her hands resting firmly on her hips.

"Oh, please, Shadow. You know good and damn well you're here because you want to be. If you really didn't want to be here, no amount of threats and bribery would make you show up."

"Well," he began, heaving a dramatic sigh, one hand resting over his heart, "I suppose I can admit that you all do mean _something_ to me and that spending a prolonged period of time in your presence wouldn't be _completely_ unbearable." Sally and Rouge laughed, and Sally gave him a playful shove, and he, in turn, proceeded to ruffle up her hair, ignoring her protests and empty treats as she attempted to fix it. He was about to do the same thing to Rouge, but one look from her, one that clearly said _"Mess up my hair and/or makeup and I'll kill you in your sleep, Ultimate Lifeform or not"_ made him leave her well alone.

"Sal!" Sally barely had time to blink before she was tugged into a hug that nearly left her breathless. Slightly dazed, she peered up at the person who held her, and she couldn't stop that smile that made its way on her face.

"Sonic!" And Sally hugged him fiercely, pressing her face into his chest. She breathed in his scent, and he smelled like the wind and outdoors and chilidogs. He continued holding her in his tender embrace, resting his chin on top of her head. It was then that he realized that in his excitement at seeing Sally, he unintentionally disregarded Shadow and Rouge's presence.

He chuckled lightly, mirth dancing in the depths of his warm emerald eyes as they broke the hug, though they still stood closely beside each other. Being the taller one out of them, he propped his elbow on top of his best friend's head and ignored the vicious threats she spat at him.

"Hiya, Rouge! Hey, Shadow!" he greeted them jovially, flashing them his signature grin.

"Hey, Big Blue. Long time no see. You're certainly feeling the holiday spirit," she smiled.

"Hello, Sonic. You're looking chipper as usual," he mused, nodding his head at his rival and friend. And they were friends, despite their rocky start. Shadow could admit that Sonic was a skilled fighter and good company to be around, when he wasn't annoying the hell out of him, that is.

"What can I say? It's the most wonderful time of the year. I was gonna challenge ya to a race, but since it's snowing and junk, that's outta the question. So," Sonic continued, grinning from ear to ear, a challenging glint in his eyes, "I challenge you to a snowball fight! Me, Tails, Knuckles, and Silver against you, Scourge, Mighty, and Espio. Are ya game, or is the Ultimate Lifeform afraid of losing?"

Shadow smirked, already making his way towards the door and not bothering to see if Sonic was following him or not.

"Challenge accepted. Prepare to eat my dust, faker." Sonic laughed, and saying goodbye to both girls, quickly left, intent on beating Shadow and claiming victory as his.

 _Some things never changed,_ Sally mused, a faint smile on her face.

"Those two really are something else, huh?"

"I'll say. But hey, at least they get along better. It certainly beats having to stop them from trying to beat the shit out of each other and prove who's the greatest. Thank God they're outgrew that particularly violent phase of their friendship." Rouge nodded her head, laughing as they walked out of the living room and headed into the dining room.


	2. Chapter 2

Two

Sally huddled deeper into Shadow's cozy jacket, shivers trickling down her spine as she trudged through the thick snow. The sky was beginning to darken, the sun slowly making its downward descent. With bursts of blues and purples and splashes of pinks and yellows, it resembled a stunning painting hanging for the entire world to gaze upon. Sally dug her hands into the jacket's pockets, wiggling her fingers to chase the cold and stiffness away.

The crunch of her footsteps echoed through the air, and the wind howled, whipping her hair against her face in its anger. She prayed it wouldn't storm; that certainly would put a damper on their holiday cheer. Pushing her hair back in place with a sigh, she finally made it to the back of Amy's house, and the sight that greeted made her smile.

The guys were going all out in what appeared to be quite the snowball fight. She leaned against the side of house, watching on in silent amusement. Blurs of white zipped and zagged through the air like bullets as snowball after snowball was hurled at their awaiting opponents.

She could make out the seriousness in Espio's golden gaze, the tautness of Scourge's jaw, the narrowness of Mighty's eyes. Their postures were rigid, and they worked together seamlessly. Scourge used his speed to his advantage, easily keeping on par with Sonic. Espio was stealthy, effortlessly dodging the snowballs that came his way while Mighty used his strength, chunking snowballs with a force to be reckoned with.

Sonic's body language was a combination of relaxed and tense; he speedily dodged every snowball that threatened to hit him with the agility and ease that one would expect from him. Shadow was similar. Working with G.U.N. and saving the world certainly honed his already sharp skills. Silver and Tails were by side to side, watching each other's backs, and Knuckles was a beast, power exuding from every throw he made.

"Hey!" Her voice, ringing in the air like the dings of a bell, captured their attention. "Vanilla sent me out here to tell you guys that dinner's ready." No sooner than she was finished speaking were they barreling by her like a stampede, knocking her off her feet. A solid pair of arms caught her in their embrace, preventing her from falling flat on the cold, hard ground.

"You alright, princess?" Sally looked up, her breath immediately lodging in the back of her throat at the sight of Shadow. Miniscule beads of sweat clung to his fur, his chest rising and falling with every inhale and exhale of breath he took. His muscles were straining against the fabric of his sweater, and Sally gulped inaudibly, feeling flustered all of a sudden. She shyly averted her gaze, hands clutching his arms as she steadied herself.

"Yeah, I'm good." He frowned at that, noticing how her demeanor shifted. She sounded winded, and her cheeks were red with a blush that seemed to appear out of nowhere. While her words said one thing, her eyes were telling a completely different story. They were wide, their normally bright blue color shades darker, burning intensely with an emotion he could not place. Before he had the chance to decipher it, it was gone as quickly as it came, making him wonder if it was ever there in the first place.

"If you're sure," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. At her nod, he decided not to press matters. "Come on." And he grabbed her hand and led them back inside the house. They quickly took off their jackets and scarves, neatly hanging them up, before heading into the dining room where their friends were already waiting. They took a seat, both of them sitting between Espio and Amy and beside each other.

Noise and laughter filled the room as they ate their Christmas dinner. Sally couldn't help but smile, her eyes brimming with joy. The jovial mood was infectious, and she did nothing to resist it, welcoming it with arms wide open. And the food, dear Chaos, the food was _delicious_. The taste exploded on her tongue and left her craving more. Her plate was overflowing with heaps of food: macaroni and cheese, ham, turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, and cornbread. She didn't hesitate tearing into it, just barely minding her manners by not eating like a slob.

"Is it that good?" Shadow teased her, his warm breath tickling her ear. Sally tried her hardest not to get flustered. His voice was smooth like velvet, and it made her shiver in ways that had nothing to do with the cold. Taking a deep breath, she focused her attention on him again, trying not to let her mind go to _does_ places. She noted that he had already finished his first helping of food and was already working on finishing his second helping.

"It's beyond good! Vanilla and Amy really outdid themselves this year," Sally smiled. "Do I have anything on my mouth?" Shadow checked, momentarily distracted by how soft they looked. He couldn't help but wonder what it'd be like to kiss those lips, couldn't help but wonder if they were as soft as they looked and- _what the fuck_? Where in the world were these thoughts coming from? Shaking his head in an attempt to clear his mind and chase away such dangerous thoughts, he focused his attention back on her.

"No, you're good, princess." His voice came out slightly rougher than he intended, and Sally reacted almost immediately. She was blushing something fierce all over again, that look in her eye from earlier reappearing once more. She bit her bottom lip, and Shadow's eyes were drawn to action, his heart beating harshly. Just as he was opening his mouth to say something, she was already turning away from him, striking up a conversation with Amy.

Shadow merely sighed and continued eating once more. He wasn't quite sure what was going on between the two of them. There seemed to be some kind of unspoken tension hovering in the air around them lately, and he was determined to get to the bottom of things.

"So, who ended up winning the snowball fight?" Rouge asked, a smirk gracing her pretty face. She was sitting beside Blaze, leaning against the lavender cat, who merely sighed and rolled her golden eyes, too used to her friend's behavior to be truly bothered by it. The smile on her face, however, showed she wasn't as bothered by it as she pretended to be.

"It was a tie," Tails answered, a sheepish grin on his face. He sat between Sonic and Knuckles, and while Sonic was amused about it, Knuckles clearly wasn't.

"It doesn't matter. We'll have a rematch later to properly determine the winning," Knuckles declared, and his expression was serious, leaving no room for any arguments. Rouge let loose an unladylike snort, and Knuckles glared at her, amethyst eyes narrowed dangerously. Rouge did nothing more to provoke him, but never once did that smirk leave her face, much to the guardian's annoyance, though the way his cheeks flushed betrayed how unbothered he was by her.

"Yeah, we went easy on you guys, but that won't be happening again next time," Sonic agreed, grinning around a mouthful of chilidogs. He winked at Shadow, much to said hedgehog's chagrin.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, Faker. If anything, _we_ were going easy on _you_ ," Shadow smirked, his smirk widening at the sound of Sally laughing quietly beside him. Her hand brushed against his beneath the table, and he didn't hesitate in holding hers, curling their fingers together.

"We could've easily slaughtered you guys, Blue Boy. But where would the fun in that be?" Scourge laughed, a cocky grin etched on his handsome face. His eyes, an icy blue color, met Sally's sapphire ones, and he winked playfully at her. "Maybe Red can referee for us to keep things fair." Sally laughed, rolling her eyes at his antics.

"I wouldn't be opposed to it. Chaos knows you guys could use the help. It looked like a damn war zone out there."

"Hey! We weren't _that_ , bad!" Silver exclaimed, pouting at Sally. She couldn't help but smile. Silver was too adorable for words at times, and this was one of them.

"Aww, you know I've got nothing but love for you, Silv!" She blew him kissy faces, and Silver couldn't help but laugh, his gold eyes twinkling.

"You shouldn't be sayin' stuff like that, Sal. Shads here might get jealous." Both Sally and Shadow blushed, Sally's much more obvious than Shadow's, though it was easy to see he was just as flustered. Sonic wore this smug smirk on his face, like he knew exactly what he was saying, and everyone else was laughing at them, though not in a malicious way.

"Shut your damn face, hedgehog," Shadow hissed, his twisted into a defensive sneer, eyes narrowed in warning, though Sonic clearly didn't give a damn.

"Sonic, ease back," Sally laughed, though it wavered with its nervousness. She eyed Shadow discreetly, and their gazes locked. He looked agitated, but more so at being put in the spotlight than the idea of her flirting with him. Why that made her heart flutter with relief was something she refused to think about right now. And the fact that both of them had yet to let go of each other's hands was neither here or there.

Both of them were thankful when the conversation eventually diverted to something else.

After the dishes were washed and the food was put away, everyone migrated to the living room for the next phase of the night: opening presents! Sonic, Amy, Rouge, Knuckles, Blaze, and Silver all sat huddled together on the couch. Amy snuggled herself in Sonic's arms, much to his bemusement, though he did nothing to stop her. Rouge perched herself on Knuckles' lap, leaning forward and whispering what must've been suggestive things, if the look on his face was anything to go by. Silver and Blaze were pressed closely together, and they had eyes for no one but each other.

They all looked so disgustingly romantic that it damn near made Sally sick to her stomach. Romance was in the air, she couldn't help but think, smiling softly to herself.

Scourge, Mighty, Espio Charmy, Tails, and Cream sat huddled in another corner of the living room and were laughing and cracking jokes together while Vector and Vanilla sat in two arm chairs, Vector looking every bit as lovesick as usual whenever he was in Vanilla's presence.

Shadow and Sally were sitting right in front of the Christmas tree in the center of the room. She was resting her head on his lap while he played with strands of her hair, gazing down at her, his crimson eyes shining brighter than the ornaments hanging on the Christmas tree. She stared up at him, smiling openly at him, her heart fluttering at the mere sight of him.

Chaos, what was this hedgehog doing to her, getting her all flustered and hot and bothered just by looking at her? It was ridiculous, and yet here she was, in his lap, longing for him. How it did it come down to this? Lusting after one of her closest friends, willing the fire between her legs to die out, but how could it when he was looking at like _that_?

Sighing, she pushed herself out of his lap before anybody saw them and started saying shit. Making sure she wasn't looking at him, she forced herself to smile, ignoring the butterflies fluttering like mad inside her stomach.

Grabbing half of the presents, she began passing them out, leaving the rest up to Shadow to do. It was heartwarming to see their reactions to their gifts, watching the smiles bloom upon their faces like flowers in the spring. She loved seeing them happy and smiling and full of cheer. Tis the season, after all.

She felt something tug on her arm, and she found herself staring at Shadow once more. He held a lone Christmas present in his hand, and she already knew it was for her. She held his gift in her hands and both of them slipped off while everyone else was preoccupied. They kept walking until they were tucked away inside Amy's den.

"Merry Christmas, princess," Shadow said, his voice soft. Sally smiled, handing him his gift and taking hers from him. They both sat down across from each other, silent as the opened their gifts.

"Oh my Chaos, Shadow. _I love it_." Sally held the jewelry box in her hands, staring at it in awe. It was so _pretty_. It was a beautiful necklace with a diamond chain and a crown shaped charm encrusted with sapphires with matching earrings. It looked so damn expensive, and she didn't know Shadow had money like that, but it made sense, with him being an agent of G.U.N.

"Sally…" She looked up at the sound of her name and saw Shadow staring at the gift lying in his lap. It was a photo album filled with pictures of all of their friends, and several of him and Maria together.

"It was damn near possible to find anything ARK related, but being a princess certainly has its perks." Shadow looked at the photos in silence, his eyes glistening with unshed tears, though she didn't point it out. His fingers traced against a picture of a smiling Maria, and his lips curled into a watery smile.

After flipping through a few more pictures, Shadow slowly eased the photo album shut and placed it back inside the unwrapped gift box. He looked at Sally, his face brimming with so many emotions she couldn't possibly name them all. She wasn't sure what came over her, but it was as if her body had a mind of its own because her hands were reaching forward and cupping his face in them. She brought his face closer to hers, and he did nothing to stop her, their gazes locked.

Their foreheads touched, their eyelids drooping shut, and their lips slowly met in a kiss that would forever change their relationship.


End file.
